Portable safety swimming tank



Oct. 8, 1935. T. M. RUSSELL PORTABLE SAFETY SWIMMING TANK nvenlor Filed May 15, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet l flerafi/[Fa ss'eZZ Oct. 8, 1935. T. M. RUSSELL PORTABLE SAFETY SWIMMING TANK s Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 15, 1934 Inventor 72 e/07Z fizzss e ZZ f1 llomey Oct. 8, 1935. T. M. RUSSELL PORTABLE SAFETY SWIMMING TANK Filed May 1'5, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 7/38/07; P1065 e Z5 fl Home y Patented Oct. 8, 1935 UNITED- STATES PORTABLE SAFETY ATENT SWIMMING TANK 1 Claim.

This invention is a portable safety swimming tank which can be constructed of any size and of any'suitable material.

Briefly, the invention consists of what may be termed a float provided with an opening in the center thereof through which operates a walled tank or crib structure pivoted at one end to the float so as to be raised or lowered to provide any depth desired for the tank.

An'object of the invention is to provide a swimming tank of the character above mentioned which can be readily towed to any location desired and whereby bathers will be enabled to enjoy outdoor swimming in a lake, river, or the like in comparative safety.

A further object of the invention is to provide a swimming tank of the character referred to whereby maximum cleanliness and sanitary conditions may be obtained in that there will be at all times a continuous movement of water through the tank.

The invention, together with its objects and advantages, will be better understood from a study of the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the tank.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view thereof, showing two positions of the pivoted walled structure or crib.

Figure 3 is a side elevational view of the float.

Figure 4 is a side elevational view of the tank proper or crib.

Figure 5 is a plan view of a corner portion of the float.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary plan view of the crib.

Figure 7 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 'l--'l ofFigure 3.

Figure 8 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 88 of Figure 1, and

Figure 9 is a fragmentary view, partly in section and partly in elevation, showing the hinge means for the crib.

Referring to the drawings by reference numerals, it will be seen that the safety swimming tank comprises a float, indicated generally by the reference numeral Ill, and a crib or walled structure, indicated generally by the reference numeral H.

In the present instance, the float Ill comprises a continuous walk or platform l2 defining a central opening l3 for the float. The walk or platform I2 may be of any suitable construction and in the present instance is shown as being constructed from suitable planks I4 nailed or otherwise secured to a suitable supporting frame structure,

indicated generally by the reference numeral l5. Suitably secured to the under side of the frame structure It is a float IS in the nature of a continuous tubular air tank.

Rising from the frame I5 and extending along 5 the outer edges of the walk I2 is a suitable guard rail l5 which may be of any suitable construction, and as shown, consists of any suitable number and arrangement of posts supporting vertically spaced horizontal rail members. Operating with- 19 in the confines of the walk I2, that is, through the opening i3 of the float, is the aforementioned walled tank or crib l i,

The crib l l comprises a bottom member I! consisting of a plurality of transverse, slightly spaced 15 planks secured to longitudinal bars l8. Rising from the bottom I! are suitably constructed side walls is and these walls, it will be noted, range upwardly from zero height at one end of the tank to any height desired at the opposite end of the 20 tank.

At that end thereof where the walls I9 are of zero height, the tank l I is pivotally mounted for vertical swinging movement. To this end, the ends of the bars ii! are connected to a cross mem- 25 her 20, through the medium of eye bolts 2|. The eye bolts 2| in turn are connected with eye bolts 22 driven upwardly through a transverse log 23 extending transversely of the float It at one end of the platform [2. In this connection, it will be 30 noted that at each end of the float there are provided a pair of such logs 23, the same being used for buoyancy.

Rising from the bottom I! of the tank at the free end thereof is an end wall 24 that is provided 35 with end posts 25 that project upwardly beyond the upper edge of the wall 24 a material distance. as shown.

For swinging the crib l I to regulate the depth of the tank, there is suitably mounted on the 4 walk or platform l2 at the end thereof opposite to the pivoted end of the crib H a winch 26 on which is windable a cable 21. The cable 21 is trained over suitably arranged pulleys 28 and has end portions suitably connected to the up- 45 per ends of the corner posts 25. Suitably mounted at the inner edges of the platform or walk 12, and adjacent to that end of the platform where the winch 26 is located, are guide rollers 29 with which the corner posts 25 contact and cooperate 5 in maintaining the crib l l properly centered and to render more easy the raising and lowering of the crib. As is clearly shown in Fig. 5, the rollers are rotatably mounted on the axis 2a which is secured in the support 28 in the ends of the 55 rectangular shape groove which is cut in the walk I2. The axis 29' is spaced from the inner longitudinal edge of the walk l2 and the end of a portion of the rollers 29 extend beyond the inner edge of the walk.

At the ends thereof, the float H3 is suitably provided, as at 39, to accommodate towing ropes and also anchoring ropes.

In actual practice, the tank is towed to the desired location and anchored. During the towing of the tank, the parts are preferably in the full line position shown in Figure 2.

When the tank is to be used, the winch 25 is operated to lower the crib i i to the position suggested by dotted lines in Figure 2 or to any other desired depth. Obviously, in view of the open frame-work structure or" the parts of the tank, there will be a continuous flow of water therethrough so that the users of the tank will have all the benefits of swimming in a lake or the like and this, in comparative safety.

To add to the buoyancy of the crib H at the free end thereof, there are suitably provided floats 3 i.

From the above, it will be apparent that I have provided a swimming tank that can be readily anchored at any desired location within a selected body of water, can be easily regulated for varying the depth thereof and to meet any emergency or condition, thus providing the element of absolute safety now lacking in swimming pools and tanks,

and also that maximum cleanliness and sanitary conditions may be at all times maintained. In this connection, it will be noted that when the crib II is in raised position, the bottom thereof is substantially located at the surface of the 5 water, which permits cleaning at any time, and that when lowered and in use, the water will continuously flow through the crib.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

A safety swimming tank comprising a continuous walk or platform, floats for the platform secured to the under side thereof, a crib arranged Within the confines of the platform, said crib including a bottom hinged at one end to the platform, side walls rising from said bottom, and an end wall rising from said bottom at the free end of the crib, said side walls increasing from zero depth at the hinged end of the crib to a predetermined height or depth at the free end of the crib, a winch mounted on the platform, cable means windable on the winch and connected with the free end of the crib, and means cooperating with said cable for guiding said crib in its upward or downward movement, said means comprising longitudinally disposed rotatably mounted rollers in the inner side of the platform adjacent the crib, and upstanding corner posts on said crib slidable thereon.

THERON M. RUSSELL. 

